rysdon



March 22, 1955 M. L. RYsDoN 2,704,501

VENTILATING AND STORAGE SYSTEM FOR GRAIN Filed oct. s, 1951 s sheets-sheet 1 e9 6,4 y sa fzyezzio?" March 22, 1955 M. l.. RYsDoN VENTILATING AND STORAGE SYSTEM FOR GRAIN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8, 1951 [nyewzzor OIZ. @5070.72 MM March 22, 1955 M. L. RYsDoN 2,704,501

VENTILATING AND STORAGE SYSTEM FOR GRAIN Filed Oct. 8, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 fm1/927220K W701i. vm70?? mi Mm @gm/v, 7/ j United States Patent O VENTILATING AND STORAGE SYSTEM FOR GRAIN Max L. Rysdon, Sioux Falls, S. Dak., assignor to The Sioux Steel Company, Sioux Falls, S. Dak., a corporation of Delaware Application October 8, 1951, Serial No. 250,269

3 Claims. (Cl. 98-55) This invention relates to a grain crib, and more particularly to a crib provided with a Ventilating system.

One type of grain crib such as for ear corn, as presently used is provided with perforated walls of wire mesh or spaced slats, which permit circulation of air through the material stored therein so as to effectuate drying of the grain stored within the crib. The greatest drawback of such a ventilated grain crib is that the material that is stored in the center of the crib is usually not adequately dried, and much of this material spoils.

Another factor which contributes to uneven drying of the material within the grain crib` arises in the fact that when the grain is introduced into the crib, it is not evenly distributed therein. Therefore, where the material is piled heavily, there is more resistance to the passage of Ventilating air therethrough, and consequently some of the grain in the heavily piled areas will not be sufficiently dried.

Still another factor which serves to reduce the efficiency of air drying is found in the fact that a wide mass of grain provides sufficient resistance to the moveo ment of air therethrough so as to prevent the greater portion of air from reaching and drying the center of the mass of grain. Still another detriment lies in the fact that very often winds move in a prevailing direction, and this will result in the Windward portion of the crib being Ventilated more thoroughly than the leeward portion, and as a consequence, there is uneven drying of the material contained therein.

Thus, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a grain storage crib with a Ventilating system wherein drying air is introduced into the interior of the crib, so as to effect substantially uniform drying of the grain when stored therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a grain storage crib with a Ventilating system wherein the drying air introduced into the interior of the crib is ingested by means of a self aligning air scoop.

A further object of this invention is to provide a Ventilated storage crib wherein a self aligning ventilating air intake is provided with an air scoop normally adapted to face into the wind andwhich may be easily modified so that it will face out of the wind during those occasions when it is so desirable.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a Ventilated grain storage crib wherein drying air is introduced into the interior of the crib and wherein means are provided for controlling the rate of drying air being so introduced.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a ventilated grain storage crib wherein drying air is directed through the material being stored there from the center of the crib outwardly, in all directions, regardless of the direction of the wind.

And still another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of drying grain that is stored in an annular storage space, which method comprises causing drying air to pass through the mass of grain from the center portion of the storage space outwardly.

And still a further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of drying grain that is stored in an annular storage space, which method includes the step of introducing drying air into the center of the storage space, whereby the dry air is permitted to pass laterally from the center of the storage space outwardly through the stored grain.

Still another object of this invention is to provide 2,704,501 Patented Mar. 22, 1955 ICC an improved Ventilated grain storage crib wherein the thickness of the mass of grain through which Ventilating air must pass is substantially reduced.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grain storage crib having baiiies for uniformly distributing the stored grain within the crib.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ventilated grain storage crib provided with a port in the roof, which port is used for introducing the grain into the crib and also for insertion therein of a Ventilating system for introducing drying air into the interior of the crib.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a ventilated grain storage crib with a central core member, which core member may, when desired, be covered by a bafe device for uniformly distributing the grain within the crib; and which core member may be uncovered to provide means whereby drying air may be introduced into the interior of the crib.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this. invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this speciiication.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a side elevation View of the grain storage crib, and Ventilating system therefor, with parts broken away to show the interior of the crib,

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the air intake device for the grain storage crib,

Figure 3 is an enlarged side cross-section View of the roof of the grain crib, the air intake and air duct, and is taken on line 3 3 of Figure 4,

Figure 4 is a cross-section View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the clamp arrangement whereby the air intake device is secured to the storage crib,

Figure 6 shows a detail of construction and is taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 shows another detail of construction and is taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic representation of the horizontally projected areas of the air intake device showing the relationship of the areas to the vertical pivotal axis,

Figure 9 is a side cross-section View similar to Figure 3, but showing the air intake device and air duct removed, and also showing the air tube capped so that material rray b introduced into the crib through the roof thereo, an

Figure 10 is a sectional View taken on line 10-10 on Figure 9.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a grain crib, indicated generally at 10. The outer wall 12 of the grain cribis perforate and may be formed of wire mesh or spaced slats. The crib is provided with a conical imperforate roof 14 having a central port, indicated generally at 16.l The crib is also provided with an upright, perforate core 18, which is generally cylindrical in shape and is constructed of wire mesh, or the like. The core 18 is positioned below the port 16 in the crib roof and is supported directly on the floor of the crib.

An air intake device 20 is mounted on the roof 14 of the crib and an air duct, or upper duct portion, 22 communicates the air intake 20 with an open-ended imperforate air tube, or lower duct portion, 24 which eX- tends concentrically within the perforate core 18, and said tube 24 and core 18 desirably are secured together in spaced apart relation, by any suitable means, such as sheet metal screws (not shown). The open end 26 of impert'orate air tube 24 faces the floor of the crib and is spaced a substantial distance therefrom, somewhat closer to the floor of the crib than to the roof thereof, as clearly seen in Figure l.

Referring more particularly to the air intake device 20, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it includes an air scoop 28 and a central air tube 30. The central tube 30 is substantially at right angles to the horizontally opening air scoop 28. This central tube 30 extends substantially vertically and is adapted to register with the air duct 22 to provide passage for the drying air. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the cross-sectional area of the lateral inlet of air scoop 28 is greater than the crosssection area of the air duct 22, or of air tube 24. This relationship of areas between the air scoop inlet and the air ducts 22 and 24 provides that the wind pressure at the air scoop inlet results in higher air velocity down through the air ducts 22 and 24, thereby insuring penetration of air to the interior of the grain crib. The top edge 29 of the air scoop 28 is horizontal, so that wind pressure will not tend to lift the air scoop off the crib.

The air intake device 20 also includes a vane member 32 which extends in a direction opposite to that of the air scoop 28. The air scoop 28 and vane member 32 are located substantially on opposite sides of the axis of the central tube 30. The air intake device 20 also includes an auxiliary vane member 34 which is connected to the vane member 32 in a manner and for a purpose that will be described hereinafter.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, the air duct 22 extends through the port 16 in roof 14. The port 16 is surrounded by an upwardly extending sleeve or collar 36 which is secured, as by welding to roof 14. The air duct 22 has an annular member 38, of angle shaped cross section, secured thereto. This member 38 forms a collar 40 which surrounds the collar 36, as seen in Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 3 and 5, the duct 22, and member 38 attached thereto, are secured to roof 14 and held down by means of clamps 42. The clamps 42 are secured in position by means of bolts 44 and wing nuts 46. The bolts 44 are mounted in collar 36 and extend through downwardly open slots 38a in the depending outer ange of the member 38. The clamps 42 detachably secure the air duct 22 and collar 38 in position with respect to roof 14.

The air intake device 20 is pivoted on a vertical axis which is also an extension of the vertical axis of air duct 22. The central tube 30 of air intake device 20 is positioned concentrically around the upper edge of sleeve 48 of the angle-shaped member 38.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a plurality of support straps 50 are bolted to the interior of sleeve 48 and together form a socket 54 at the vertical axis of air duct 22. An upright pivot shaft 56 is xed at its lower end within socket 54 and which shaft serves to support the air intake device 20.

The air intake device 20 s supported and guided on pivot shaft 56 by means of sleeve bearing 60 and pivot bearing 62. The sleeve bearing 60 is welded to the web of a channel 58 which channel is welded at the ends thereof to the inner walls of the central tube 30. A portion of the web of channel 58 is cut out to permit passage of pivot shaft 56 through the bearing 60. The upper end of the pivot shaft 56 provides a socket or seat for the pivot bearing 62 and thereby constitutes the sole support for the air intake device 20. A Cotter-pin 64 through pivot shaft 56, above bearing 60, limits upward movement of the air intake device 20 along the pivot shaft 56.

The pivot bearing 62 is mounted within the air intake device 20, on a baliie plate 66, which extends across the interior of the air intake device 20, and acts to direct the air, which is drawn in through air scoop 28, downwardly through the central tube 30 and into air duct 22. The air intake 20 is also provided with a removable screen 68, which is positioned across the opening of air socket 28. This screen 68 prevents entrance of birds and large particles of foreign material into the Ventilating system.

Referring specifically to the air intake device 20, said device is formed of sheet metal and details of construction are shown in Figures 3 and 6. The air scoop 28 and vane member 32 are welded to the central tube 30 along seams 70. As shown in Figure 6, the vane member 32 is also provided with upstanding flanges 72 which are riveted to vane member 32, and serve as a mounting for the auxiliary vane member 34, which is secured to said ange 72 by means of bolts 74. These bolts 74 permit removal of the auxiliary vane member 34 for reasons that will be described hereinafter.

As shown in Figures 3, 4 and 7, the roof 14 is composed of a plurality of strips, one edge of which is crimped at 76 and the other edge of which is crlrnped as shown at 78. The crimped edge 76 provides a double thickness of material while the crimped edge 78 provides an inverted U-shaped member with space therebetween for receiving the double thickness of material of crimped portion 76. The crimped portion 78 of one strip is fitted over the crimped portion 76 of the adjacent strip, and further crimping clamps the adjacent strips together to form a relatively rigid roof structure.

Referring back to the air duct, or upper duct portion, 22, shown in Figure 3, the air duct has a butterfly valve or damper 80, pivotally mounted therein, for controlling the rate of air ow therethrough. A control arm 82 is secured to the damper 80 and wires 84 are attached to the opposite ends of the control arm and extend outside the grain crib, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, so as to permit control of damper 80 from the ground. The arm 82 is positioned close enough to the wall of air duct 22 so as to permit withdrawal of the air duct 22 and the control arm 82 through port 16, when the ventilating device 20 is removed for loading the crib with grain.

Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown the horizontally projected area of the air scoop 28, the central tube 30, the vane 32 and the auxiliary vane 34. The vertical axis 86 is the axis of pivot shaft 56 and is illustrated by the dot-dash line in Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the horizontally projected area of the scoop 28 and one-half of the central tube 30 to one side of vertical axis 86 is indicated by the numeral 88. The projected area of the other half of the central tube 30 and the vane portion 32 is indicated by numeral 90, and the horizontal projected area of auxiliary vane 34 is indicated by numeral 92. These areas are so designed that the moment of area 88, about axis 86, is greater than the moment of area 90 about axis 86. When the auxiliary vane 34 is detached, the wind forces will cause the air scoop 28 to face leewardly, or out of the wind. As clearly shown in the figures, the shape, or contour, of the laterally extending edge of the air scoop 28 recedes along a continuous curve from a point of maximum lateral extent at the upper edge of said scoop to a point of minimum lateral extent at the lower edge of said air scoop. This overhang of the upper portions of the air scoop provides substantial protection against rain entering the air scoop even in the most heavy rain storms.

The auxiliary vane 34 is of such area that the sum of the moment of area 90 and of the moment of area 92 about vertical axis 86 is greater than the moment of area 88 about vertical axis 86; and thus when the auxiliary vane 34 is attached to vane 32, the wind forces will always cause the air scoop to face into the wind.

In normal operations the auxiliary vane is attached to the vane 32 and the scoop 28 is always facing into the wind. During high wind storms, it may be desirable to have the scoop 28 facing out of the wind and during those occasions, the auxiliary vane 34 may be removed.

Referring back to Figure 3, the air duct 22 is shown as extending concentrically within air tube 24. The air tube, or lower duct portion, 24 extends above the upper end of perforate core 18 and has a frusto-conical skirt 94 welded adjacent the upper end thereof. The extended end of the skirt 94 is supported from the roof 14 by means of tie members 96, which are bolted between the skirt 94 and roof 14.

When the air intake device 20 and the air duct 22 are removed, the port 16 may be used for introducing the grain into the crib. It is desirable that the grain be excluded from within the core 18. A conical cap 98 is provided for covering core 18 and intake tube 24, and is seated on the upper edge of intake tube 24, as seen in Figure 9. This conical cap 98 is provided with a cylindrical ange 100 which restrains cap 98 in position with respect to air intake tube 24.

The taper of skirt 94 and conical cap 98 with respect to the horizontal is at least as great as the taper of roof 14. Thus there is no reduction of the space between the extended end of skirt 94 and roof 14. If the taper of the sk1rt and cap is the same as the taper of roof 14, when the passageway bounded therebetween is annular. If the taper of the skirt 94 and cap 98 is greater than that of the roof 14, then the passageway bounded therebetween is diverging. Both the cylindrical and divergmg passageways are desirable as they permit for easy entrance of grain into the crib. The tapered surfaces of the skirt 94 and cap 98 serve as deector surfaces and insure relatively uniform distribution of ears of corn and husks, within the crib, and thus insure more uniform air drying of the grain.

In operation, the wind forces are generally always sulicient to direct the air scoop 28 into the wind, and the air, having an initial velocity, is carried down through air duct 22 and through air tube 24 into the interior of the crib. The air then passes through the perforator core 18 and makes its way, upwardly, downwardly and outwardly, through the entire body of material stored within the crib and exits through the perforate walls 12 of the crib. Because of the tendency of air to rise, it is found desirable to bring the air into the interior of the crib closer to the bottom of the crib than to the roof thereof. Furthermore, by bringing the air into the central portion of the crib, the mass of material through which the air has to pass is reduced to substantially one-half of the mass of material that ordinarily is contained within the crib.

During the filling operation, as the grain is brought in through port 16, it bounces off conical cap 98 and skirt 94 and is directed outwardly toward the outer walls 12 of the crib. As the grain builds up within the crib, the central portion, adjacent the perforate core 18 is filled last. The baie, consisting of conical cap 98 and skirt 94, provides for even distribution of the grain throughout the crib, which is the desirable way the grain should be distributed throughout the crib, for insuring uniform dryng during storage thereof.

While the distributing cone, comprising conical cap 98 and skirt 94, is for use with grain generally, said distributing cone is primarily useful when ear corn is introduced into the grain crib. Usually when ear corn is deposited in a crib, the husks and the accumulation of shelled corn tends to collect in masses within the crib, thereby creating areas through which air does not circulate properly with the result that there is undue spoilage of the corn. With the use of the distributing cone, the corn, the husks and the shelled corn are uniformly scattered throughout the entire crib, with the result that the material does not form such air-blocking masses.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise embodiment hereindisclosed, except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A grain crib comprising a roof having a central opening therein and perforate side walls, an elongated perforate core within said crib positioned below said central opening in the roof and substantially coaxially thereof, the uppermost end of said perforate core being spaced below the portions of the roof defining said central opening, said core and the side walls of said crib bounding a storage space therebetween, an elongated openended substantially imperforate duct positioned substantially concentrically within said perforate core and extending upwardly through said central opening in the roof and having its upper end thereof spaced above the portions of the roof defining said central opening, the lower end of said imperforate duct being positioned between the upper and lower limits of the cribs side walls and closer to the lower limit of the side walls than to the upper limit of said side walls, an air intake device having a lateral air intake opening therein and being rotatably mounted on said upper end of said imperforate duct, said air intake device providing duct means between said air intake opening and the open upper end of said imperforate duct, means on said air intake device operative under the influence of wind for orienting the direction in which the air intake opening faces, said imperforate duct comprising upper and lower duct segments, said lower duct segment being positioned concentrically within said perforate core and extending upwardly above the upper end of said perforate core but spaced below the portions of the roof defining said central opening, a frusto-conical skirt surrounding said imperforate duct and being secured to the lower duct segment at a point above the upper end of said perforate core, means securing said skirt and thereby said lower duct segment to said roof for supporting said lower duct segment in position, and said upper duct segment being removably mounted in the central opening in said roof and registering in endwise alignment with said lower duct segment to form said elongated imperforate duct, said upper duct segment defining said portion of the imperforate duct which extends above said roof.

2. A grain crib comprising a roof having a central opening therein and perforate side walls, an elongated perforate core within said crib positioned below said central opening in the roof and substantially coaxially thereof, the uppermost end of said perforate core being spaced below the portions of the roof defining said central opening, said core and the side walls of said crib bounding a storage space therebetween, an elongated open-ended substantially imperforate duct positioned substantially concentrically within said perforate core and extending upwardly through said central opening in the roof and having its upper end thereof spaced above the portions of the roof defining said central opening, the lower end of said imperforate duct being positioned between the upper and lower limits of the cribs side walls and closer to the lower limit of side walls than to the upper limit of said side walls, an air ,intake device having a lateral air intake opening therein and being rotatably mounted on said upper end of said imperforate duct, said air intake device providing duct means between said air intake opening and the open upper end of said imperforate duct, means on said air intake device operative under the influence of wind for orienting the direction in which the air intake opening faces, said imperforate duct comprising upper and lower duct segments, said lower duct segment being positioned concentrically within said perforate core and extending upwardly above the upper end of said perforate core but spaced below the portions of the roof defining said central opening, means supportingly securing said lower duct segment to the roof, said upper duct segment being removably mounted in the central opening in said roof and registering in endwise alignment with said lower duct segment to form said elongated imperforate duct, said upper duct segment defining said portion of the imperforate duct which extends above said roof, a damper in said upper duct segment for controlling the amount of air introduced into said crib, and damper control means operatively associated with said damper and extending outside of said grain crib.

3. A grain crib comprising a roof having a central opening therein and perforate side walls, an elongated perforate core within said crib positioned below said central opening in the roof and substantially coaxially thereof, the uppermost end of said perforate core being spaced below the portions of the roof defining said central opening, said core and the side walls of said crib bounding a storage space therebetween, an elongated open-ended substantially imperforate duct positioned substantially concentrically within said perforate core and extending upwardly through said central opening in the roof and having its upper end thereof spaced above the portions of the roof defining said central opening, the lower end of said imperforate duct being positioned between the upper and lower limits of the cribs side walls and closer to the lower limit of the side walls than to the upper limit of said side walls, an air venting device having a lateral opening therein and being mounted on said upper end of said imperforate duct to pivot about a vertical axis, said venting device providing duct means between said lateral opening and the open upper end of said imperforate duct, said venting device having a laterally extending air scoop portion which extends laterally to one side of said vertical axis and a vane extending opposite to said air scoop portion on the opposite side of said axis, the moment of the horizontally porjected area of said air scoop portion about said vertical axis, being smaller than that of said vane, whereby wind forces acting on said venting device are operative to direct the lateral opening of said venting device into the wind, a portion of said vane being removable to modify said venting device to decrease the effective area of the vane subjected to the wind forces, whereby the wind forces acting on said modified venting device is operative to direct the lateral opening of said venting device out of the wind, and the edge contour of the horizontal projection of said air scoop portion receding along a continuous curve from a point of maximum lateral extent at the upper edge of said air scoop to a point of minimum lateral extent at the lower `edge of said air scoop.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Owens Oct. 15, 1878 Barr Oct. 3, 1882 Roach Mar. 21, 1905 Overholt Feb. 22, 1921 

